Well girls it is time again and I am a bit slow on this one but not as late as the last one. I was so impressed with the last one’s response that it really had me going. I know that the events of September 11 had everybody going off plan or thinking that there is so much more to life that dieting, and weight loss. Yes you are right. I too ate bad and blamed some of the stress on that. I cried for days and still have times where I will think of the loss of human life and cry. The one thing that we can do for them is to keep on praying and help whenever we can and how ever we can.
We also need to try to focus on our selves. The events make us realize how precious life is. And that is what I want to focus on: The preciousness of life. To regain control of our selves and to be able to make the most of our lives.
I want to add first and foremost, that this is a personal challenge. You can do any or all of it. You know what is best for you. Do not expect too much for yourself or you will leave yourself open for failure. That is not the purpose of this. It is to help you set some goals and guidelines for the month ahead. One thing to do is to look back at last month and see where your problem areas were and then make that your goals for this month. Work to the areas that you need to concentrate on and the rest will come easier. If water was the hardest thing the make that your first goal, and such as exercise too. This is to better your self and these are your goals. To be defined by you.
DIET
In our variety of diets we all have one theme. S-U-C-C-E-S-S
S-SIMPLY
U-USING
C-CARB
C-CONTROL
E-EVERY
S-SINGLE
S-SERVING
Success is what we are doing and success is what we are striving for. If we read the book last time then great. We understand our diets a bit better. If not then lets go back and read the book again. The control of our carbs is the key to insulin control. The insulin is a major hazard to us. We all know how good we feel when we are in control of our diets. We all feel more energy and healthier. The headaches are gone. The acid indigestion is not there. The joints are feeling better. So why are we not always good about following the diet plan? The problem is habit! I am one of those that succumb to the habit, as well as many of you. It is know that it takes 6 weeks to break a habit, and if you have quit smoking then you know that the urge will never go away. It is lurking there somewhere. We need to make a conscious effort to pass on the foods that we know are bad for us.
The plan??? Yes I have a plan. The plan is to before you put anything in your mouth to think about it. Is it good??? Is it what my body needs? Is it just comfort food? If it is comfort food ask your self do I really need this or am I just eating it for the fact of eating. Do I want to feel the guilt that eating it brings? Do I want to feel the pride that not eating it feels? Do I want to get this extra fat off? I saw a saying on a young boys t-shirt. Pain is temporary Pride is forever. I have used that as my motto several times and think of it often. I liken it to the dieting. The pain: the turning away from the foods that do me no good. The pride, well that is self-explanatory. If you do go off plan then get right back up and start again the next meal. The cravings are less, the faster that you get back OP. The longer you wait the harder it is. Do not flog your self for eating off program. Just look back and say I can do better. There will be times that you cannot avoid but eating off program. Well take that in consideration and plan for them. Make the damage less that you have to load up on protein foods and have a few snacks in your pocket, like a protein bar. That should go a long way to helping you.
I need to reexamine my goals. Are they realistic? Are they short-term goals and long-term goals? Focus on the short-term goals and make them reachable. The long term can be very large and hard to see and think that it can be reached. So have them, but keep the focus on the short term. Reexamine them frequently, as things change we may need to readjust them. Goals are flexible, and changeable. We must remember that. But with goals we have some thing to look forward to we have a destination in life to reach for. We have meaning in what we do. Keep your goals in mind write them down and have a copy in your purse or wallet so you see them frequently.
EXERCISE
I am so glad that everyone has increased their activity somewhat. And activity is better than none. The benefits are great and so that I will not go on and on about this one. You all know what it is you have to do. Lets get out there and do it. Move a bit more this month. Get some wiggling music on and dance while cleaning the house. The soup can be stirred while shaking the booty. And the clothes get folded faster when having a jiggle in the butt. Go up the steps a few extra times everyday this month. Do just a bit more. If you go to the gym well make it 5 min longer on the treadmill or 1 more set on the weights. That little bit extra will make a difference.
WATER
Well as I have said before this is very important. You need to drink at least 1 oz for every 2 lbs of your weight. I mean water not coffee. Diet drinks are ok but the artificial sweetener may stall you. I have a problem drinking them and so do many of us. So if you are stalled, then try to keep away from the artificially sweetened drinks. Or if you are having a hard time staying OP then try dropping the artificial sweetened drinks. Drink drink drink.
PAMPER
Did you pamper your self last month??? I have to admit that I did not. I got out my journal and then promptly forgot it. This month we need to reward ourselves. We need to remember whom we are doing this for. It is not anybody else but our selves. We need to do this so we can feel good about ourselves. So why wait till we are at goal to pamper our selves. If we want the nails done get them done. If we want our hair colored then do it. (Pam the burgundy color will go well in your head) if we see the dress that we have wanted to get for a while why wait. Do it. And make that your reward for doing so good. Even if you did not do well, do it as you are you, and deserve the pamper. I want to see that the pampering is being done!!! So lets get out there and pamper!!!! I want to see some new hair, nails, shoes, dresses, pants, and shirts!!!!
Remember that this is the month of Halloween. The candy will pose a great threat to all of us, (me included) we need to buy stuff we do not like and ask DH to hide it (providing he will not eat it) this is the start of the hardest times so we need to be strong and march through this month. We need each other for strength. So all post as much as you can, do not hesitate to call for help before you give in. If you are having a great day do not hesitate to post it, which may be the incentive that another needs to keep OP.
I am not very happy this morning, I thought I would have lost allot more by now. I have been OP since the 16th of October (6 weeks) and did not cheat at all. I eat legal stuff foods like peanuts, cream, cheese etc when I have a craving.
Is it possible that ASPARTAME could have something to do with it, I noticed that this is one of the ingredients of TAB that I like to drink sometimes. Another thing, are foods like sauces containing a little bit of sugar allowed?
COULD THIS BE MY PROBLEM?:
I always hear of people on Atkins loosing allot of weight in a very short time!!! WHY NOT ME!!!!! This is the first time that I managed to stay on a eating plan for such a long time without any sweets, cakes, chocolates, bread, cookies, pasta etc.
My reward should be bigger!
AAAAAAAGGGGGG you guys should not take me seriously today, I don’t know what is wrong I should be thankful for what I have lost so fat I could have GAINED the weight in the 6 weeks instead of loosing it!!!
I am definitely in for the October S-U-C-C-E-S-S Challenge I really need something to keep me going I feel very tempted to EAT CHOCOLATES.
OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH I am sorry for all that grumping I just had to get it out.
NASUS40 ~ I feel much better after reading your thread, and I love your motto PAIN IS TEMPORATY PRIDE IS FOREVER!
I am going to eliminate the legal snacks to the minimum, do at least 4 times a week a 30 minute walk on my fitness flyer, and drink allot more water.
Well I think I said enough, I hope I did not make it a blue “moanday” for you guys to.
Atkins is the plan for me( though some might wonder) OP all the way. To continue with my gallon of water everyday, so far so good.
My goal in exercise is to walk to my post box and back... further than to the pasture... each and every day and work out with my rehab weights for upper body before Halloween!
tp pamper... Dye my hair,indepth skin care, do my nails and spend time with you all.
I'm in - again!
I WILL keep my carbs low (100-125 grams and to eat only low GI carbs.
I WILL walk for 1/2 hour daily.
I WILL pamper myself with a cup of herbal tea and a book for 20 minutes every afternoon before I start dinner.
Current weight is 213 - I want to be 207 by Halloween.
Last month I only saw a 2# loss, But I did lose 9.25 inches. SO I am doing something right. I do know I have been very complacent w/ cheating and watching for carbs.
So my challenge
Diet- I need to use fitday to monitor my intake, I need to read labels and monitor portions.
Water- I do ok w/ water m-f, Need to focus on the weekend
Pamper- I will attempt to change my belief system that it is OK to pamper myself. I used to use food as a reward. I now have to work on this.
Love the thread Nasus, time toget a bit of a wake up and reinspired! you're right, beingdown in the dumps over things we have no control over doesn't make it better for me in the long run.
Current weight: 208, wish it was lower but it is a definite stall from the middle of the month.
Goal weight: to lose 10 more pounds this month--I want to be under 200!
Exercise: since I have no regular program because it doesn't fit into my lifestyle, I have been doing extra work in and around my home--gardening, painting etc... which can burn up the calories quite quickly!
Water: to be honest, I haven't been good about it. I am having water problems in my home and until we resolve that problem it is difficult to get down that much water in a day. Right now I survive with bottled water.
Pamper: I have to be so careful about this one because of my anxiety disorder. Most of the time I try to self pamper because it reduces my stress levels and I function better. No worries about me forgetting to relax and take care of myself here--if I don't, I'm in the hospital! This Friday is hair day--new cut and new colour!
Overall I want to eat OP most of the time. Why not all of the time? I find it unrealistic. I talked to a very good close friend of mine who as very big most of her life until recently. She is now a gorgeous size 11 and looks fabulous! I asked her for some advice and she said that yes, she did it by low carbing, but she said that she didn't keep it regular. If she had a craving, she ate exactly what it was she wanted, but the rest of the time she followed the program. She also kept herself on track by not allowing 2 cheats in a row on consecutive days. So if she felt like having chocolate or chips or what have you, she did, but it was the only cheat of the day and that meant she couldn't have a cheat the next day. She said it worked very well for her and it was easier for her to handle. She said that after a time of doing it that way, the need to cheat just went away and she might cheat once a week after a while. I asked her how she's doing in maintaining her weight and she said that she's still following the low carb plan and enjoying eating again--this time with more balance and activity in her life! I have to say that I'm so proud of her, we went to school together and she was always the big kid in class--now I'm the big kid and I want to be thin again!
Pooky what an inspirational story. how wonderful to have a role model like that.
I to am i for this haul. goals for the month is to be OP for 80% of the time this allows some bad days
water a must as i have not been at owrk and home is the hardest thing for me to keep up my water intake.
exercise well that is not a problem at this time but to keep motivatd well that is a different story i hope that will be fine for this month. it is november that i lost it last year.
Pamper/ I am going to have my nails done as soon as i find a job!!! and color my hair too get rid of the gray.
Sue - Thanks for the inspiring post.
Hensa - I agree with cutting back (or out) the legal treats for a while, but losing 16 lbs in 6 weeks is an average of 2.67 lbs/week which is really fast.
Pooky - Glad your friend has found a system that works for her. I'm trying but each time I plan to have a little cheat, it turns into a binge/purge lasting 4 days - 1 week. I'm getting better; last night's binge/purge only lasted 2 hours.
Food - When I'm good I'm really, really good, but when I'm not I'm I'm going to keep OP (Atkins) with a Sunday night treat (more in pamper)
Exercise - Been exercising at least once a day but need to get back to twice a day plus a walk. I will remind myself how good I feel afterwards & how happy I am with how exercise has shaped and toned my body. I will do my best to wake up every morning to either do one of my Richard Simmons Blast Off tapes or Body Flex (when my tapes come). I will also alternate aerobic videos & going to Curves after work, and take a walk after dinner as long as it's not too late.
Water - This isn't an issue for me. I drink at least 100/oz a day with no problem.
Pamper - My pamper is going to be a little different since I already have a weekly manicure, bi-weekly pedicure, hair highlighted and cut every 6-8 weeks and God knows I shop enough. My pamper is going to be to have a piece of the Somersweet cheesecake that is in my freezer every Sunday night & not have it turn into a binge/purge, and to start going to Overeaters Anonymous meetings in addition to my therapy. In order to do this I will have to be kinder to myself emotionally (not letting my anger at myself over one little [non food related] mistake turn into a binge/purge), & physically (not letting myself get to the point of deprivation - by eating the cheesecake - that I feel the need to binge/purge). Emotional pampering is what I need right now.
October Scarry S-U-C-C-E-S-S Challenge
